Ocean warming and acidification synergistically increase coral mortality.

ABSTRACT: Organisms that accumulate calcium carbonate structures are particularly vulnerable to ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA), potentially reducing the socioeconomic benefits of ecosystems reliant on these taxa. Since rising atmospheric CO₂ is responsible for global warming and increasing ocean acidity, to correctly predict how OW and OA will affect marine organisms, their possible interactive effects must be assessed. Here we investigate, in the field, the combined temperature (range: 16-26 °C) and acidification (range: pH_TS 8.1-7.4) effects on mortality and growth of Mediterranean coral species transplanted, in different seasonal periods, along a natural pH gradient generated by a CO₂ vent. We show a synergistic adverse effect on mortality rates (

SUBMITTER: Prada F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5244398 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature